Insurance For Elise S2, For 18 year Old
Discussion
I would be surprised if you find anywhere that quotes you under £4K 
and that's if they will even give you a quote.
AON
Elephant
A brave specialist
If you own a company, you may be able to insure it through that and put him down as a named driver?
Ask TonyHetherington, I believe he is a youthful Elise owner
Let us know what you find, just out of interest
and that's if they will even give you a quote. AON
Elephant
A brave specialist
If you own a company, you may be able to insure it through that and put him down as a named driver?
Ask TonyHetherington, I believe he is a youthful Elise owner
Let us know what you find, just out of interest
Edited by HeavySoul on Thursday 19th October 08:26
funniest post on here in ages.Are you having a laugh?!!? Why on earth are you planning on getting an 18 year old a car that needs to be treated with respect??!!
In my opinion an 18 year old is far too young to appreciate the power, and danger, that a car posesses.
I thought I was a brilliant driver at 18, but Im bl00dy glad I didnt, I doubt I would be here now!!
In my opinion an 18 year old is far too young to appreciate the power, and danger, that a car posesses.
I thought I was a brilliant driver at 18, but Im bl00dy glad I didnt, I doubt I would be here now!!
Looking down from the lofty heights of impending middle age, I have to say that I'd have reservations, too, if he was my son.
...but then, I went out and bought myself a mid engined sportscar within weeks of passing my test and was driving a Westield within 6 months. I went through a series of relatively high performance sportscars in my early years of driving (the Westy was followed by a Caterham 7, Lotus Elan +2 S130, Raffo Tipo 12 etc.), and I've never had an accident on the road.
Who am I to judge, therefore? Glen presumably knows his son's attitude and driving ability better than anyone and if he's willing to stump up the cash, good luck to him!
...mind you, I was painfully aware that I was a cr*p driver when I first passed my test, and certainly didn't drive recklessly. We didn't have Speed Scameras when I were a lad, though!
...but then, I went out and bought myself a mid engined sportscar within weeks of passing my test and was driving a Westield within 6 months. I went through a series of relatively high performance sportscars in my early years of driving (the Westy was followed by a Caterham 7, Lotus Elan +2 S130, Raffo Tipo 12 etc.), and I've never had an accident on the road.
Who am I to judge, therefore? Glen presumably knows his son's attitude and driving ability better than anyone and if he's willing to stump up the cash, good luck to him!
...mind you, I was painfully aware that I was a cr*p driver when I first passed my test, and certainly didn't drive recklessly. We didn't have Speed Scameras when I were a lad, though!
Well let me stick my neck on the block and say that in my very humble opinion, an Elise IS too much of a car for an 18 year-old, and he's very likely to stack it unless he's a very good driver and extremely sensible.
Why not save a bunch of money and get him something like a Eunos roadster which he'll have masses of fun in, and which will be way more easy to get to grips with early on while he's developing road sense.
In fact, get him an original Mini 998cc - plenty of fun, and a good car to learn to be careful in.
Why not save a bunch of money and get him something like a Eunos roadster which he'll have masses of fun in, and which will be way more easy to get to grips with early on while he's developing road sense.
In fact, get him an original Mini 998cc - plenty of fun, and a good car to learn to be careful in.
S works said:
...an Elise IS too much of a car for an 18 year-old, and he's very likely to stack it unless he's a very good driver and extremely sensible.
Not sure I agree with this.
There are certain RWD cars that, due to their relatively high torque and low weight over the driven wheels, can be very tricky to handle in poor road conditions. I'm thinking specifically of cars like the TVR Griffith 500 and the Westfield that I used to own. The Westfield was my only car, all year round, and I could guarantee that it if you were forced to pull out of a junction smartly to fit into a gap in the traffic, it would go sideways. The TVR would go sideways if you applied the tiniest bit too much throttle in a straight line, in the wet.
My experience of the Elise, however, is that you have to do something really, blatantly stupid to get into serious trouble. The lack of torque from the 1.8 engines, coupled with the grip from having the engine over the driven wheels, means that it is perfectly benign in any weather, provided you are not silly.
It does depend on how sensible Glen's son is - if he thinks a Lotus can be driven like a Playstation game, then he'll stack it, for sure, but the Elise is not intrinsically more dangerous than any other car that lacks ABS and ASC intervention.
I agree that Minis are just about the most fun you can have on four wheels, but if I was going to have a crash, I'd rather have it in an Elise!
Agree on the torque front there Sam, and that I'd rather have a stack in an Elise over a Mini.
However, as I'm sure you know, Elises are known to be snappy in wet weather, and due to their weight distribution, mid-rear engine placement and short wheelbase, have a small envelope with which to correct any errors or unforseen 'moments'.
The Elise is that good that it will flatter most drivers for much of the time, and in a relatively short while when you get used to the car you'll be nudging up against it's limits. This tends to be when things let go, and the proverbial 'diesel' stories emerge.
Looking back at my driving career, I'd have loved to have had something like an MX5/Eunos sooner - having only recently driven one (hard) on road and track, I was nothing short of amazed at what a fun car is it, how well it handles, and how large the envelope for corrections is. Given that they are cheap to purchase, run, insure and maintain, it would seem to me to be the perfect first sportscar for a young lad who's interested in driving.
All IMVHO of course
Anyway, whatever you get him, another £170 for a day with Andrew Walsh @ carlimits in Essex will be a wise investment... www.carlimits.com
However, as I'm sure you know, Elises are known to be snappy in wet weather, and due to their weight distribution, mid-rear engine placement and short wheelbase, have a small envelope with which to correct any errors or unforseen 'moments'.
The Elise is that good that it will flatter most drivers for much of the time, and in a relatively short while when you get used to the car you'll be nudging up against it's limits. This tends to be when things let go, and the proverbial 'diesel' stories emerge.
Looking back at my driving career, I'd have loved to have had something like an MX5/Eunos sooner - having only recently driven one (hard) on road and track, I was nothing short of amazed at what a fun car is it, how well it handles, and how large the envelope for corrections is. Given that they are cheap to purchase, run, insure and maintain, it would seem to me to be the perfect first sportscar for a young lad who's interested in driving.
All IMVHO of course
Anyway, whatever you get him, another £170 for a day with Andrew Walsh @ carlimits in Essex will be a wise investment... www.carlimits.com
I would not let an 18 year old in an Elise. They do not have the road craft or experience at that age. The Elise is also a very very different type of car to drive that your everyday type of car. Driving position, visibility, handling, power to name a few.
A rule of thumb also is also assume that your are going to have at least one accident in your first car or within your first year of driving. It may be your fault or it may not but expect to have at least one accident. You may not have one but the chances are far greater.
I would personally save some money, let him cut his teeth on something else for a couple of years, see how his driving is coming along (more points, accidents etc) and then consider the Elise.
Better to be safe than sorry.
A rule of thumb also is also assume that your are going to have at least one accident in your first car or within your first year of driving. It may be your fault or it may not but expect to have at least one accident. You may not have one but the chances are far greater.
I would personally save some money, let him cut his teeth on something else for a couple of years, see how his driving is coming along (more points, accidents etc) and then consider the Elise.
Better to be safe than sorry.
first car I bought and drove drove when i passed my test at 22 was a 3 litre Capri
funny Family neighbours said Id kill myself in a week , However it was a great learning curve ....car was actually off the road in the garage more than on and there again it was weekends with a mate covered in oil a haynes manual and dads driveway covered in bits !!
as for the driving , never hit a car but spun it several times in the wet !! and visited several ditches , all character building stuff!!
Youve got to weigh everything up If money isnt a problem and you can afford 3k to insure it
only you know your son , stick him on a few track days to gain experience
I reckon an Elise would be fun car and would probably be easier to control , just got to watch the chav element either trying to entice races or probable green eye envy with some scoat damaging it
good luck Adrian Flux is worth a call
I think you're bonkers.
If you absolutely must buy your little darling something expensive for him to stack into a hedge, perhaps you ought to consider something a little more substantial, like a 3 series Coupe.
Seriously, there is NO WAY I could have handled an Elise at 18.
Inevitable disaster waiting to happen.
I'd think twice about doing it. Not because I think its fundamentally wrong (thats your choice ...or his) but because when I was 18 - probably more recently than most people on here - I had no end of fun with a chuckable little citroen supermini, which was quite fast enough to get me in trouble. AND if I could afford £10k+ for an S2 Elise and £5k a year for the insurance I'd still have bought a cheap car to throw around and spent the rest on beer and music.
.....so now you come to mention it, maybe directing some of his considerable wealth at a fast car would be a healthier option
My point is, if you really are prepared to spend that much money, maybe look at spending it on some other stuff - I think I'd be naive to assume he needs any financial help for uni, but maybe a gap year or something? You'd still have enough left over for a 106 XSi, some insurance and a car control course.
.....so now you come to mention it, maybe directing some of his considerable wealth at a fast car would be a healthier option
My point is, if you really are prepared to spend that much money, maybe look at spending it on some other stuff - I think I'd be naive to assume he needs any financial help for uni, but maybe a gap year or something? You'd still have enough left over for a 106 XSi, some insurance and a car control course.
Any 18 year old no matter how mature he may act will thrash the living sh*t out of an elise when showing it off to his mates. They are lethal vehicles in the wrong hands especially this time of year with the cold & wet weather & for such an inexperienced driver it is lunacy! It'll just take one chav of a similar age to challenge him to a race at the traffic lights & he could easily end up being picked off the road with a shovel.
Not meaning to be all righteous but I agree with the other posters. If he wants a sporty car get him a mazda or an mgf. He can easily thrash these, show off to his mates & if he has an accident walk away.
Plus, shouldn't he work hard & get a bit of life experience first ? You've got to work your way up the car ladder, it's all part of teenage life!
Not meaning to be all righteous but I agree with the other posters. If he wants a sporty car get him a mazda or an mgf. He can easily thrash these, show off to his mates & if he has an accident walk away.
Plus, shouldn't he work hard & get a bit of life experience first ? You've got to work your way up the car ladder, it's all part of teenage life!
jb111s said:
Any 18 year old no matter how mature he may act will thrash the living sh*t out of an elise when showing it off to his mates. They are lethal vehicles in the wrong hands especially this time of year with the cold & wet weather & for such an inexperienced driver it is lunacy! It'll just take one chav of a similar age to challenge him to a race at the traffic lights & he could easily end up being picked off the road with a shovel.
Not meaning to be all righteous but I agree with the other posters. If he wants a sporty car get him a mazda or an mgf. He can easily thrash these, show off to his mates & if he has an accident walk away.
Plus, shouldn't he work hard & get a bit of life experience first ? You've got to work your way up the car ladder, it's all part of teenage life!
Not meaning to be all righteous but I agree with the other posters. If he wants a sporty car get him a mazda or an mgf. He can easily thrash these, show off to his mates & if he has an accident walk away.
Plus, shouldn't he work hard & get a bit of life experience first ? You've got to work your way up the car ladder, it's all part of teenage life!
I'm not sure an MGF or MX5 would be entirely safe either - the MGFs have a reputation for being downright boring until you manage to really provoke them, then I'm told it's incurable oversteer. The MX5 is quite benign (although I've only driven a mk3) but there's still plenty of scope to get it wrong.
The thing is, FWD generally responds safely to the panic response of jumping off the throttle onto the brakes when you realise you've overcooked it. You don't really need to know what you're doing with a regular FWD hatch.
Even an MX5 will continue to rotate if you get the back end out in the wet and don't remember in your panic how to gte it back.
That said - if he's done a lot of competitive karting or something, it's not such a big step. Jenson Button was driving 800 hp F1 cars at not much older and you can drive in the ginetta championship at 18. I used to race formula Rotax - which are quicker in a straight line up to license threatening speeds than an Elise is and corner at 1.75g, all without seat belts or crash protection! I never died. I did however still manage to spin my road car (not a £20k Lotus!) although thankfully I didn't hit anything in the process. In terms of car control I don't really think my driving has improve dmuch since then, the only thing is I've had 6 years of other people trying to kill me and 6 years of working out whether that corner is approaching a tiny but too fast. Every so often I still do things that on reflection were stupid though.
Gassing Station | General Lotus Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff